


A Purposeful Haunting

by fleurjaune



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: ... - Freeform, F/M, Feelings Realization, Ghost!Emilie, Ghosts, Good Parent Emilie Agreste, Haunting, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Mentioned Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Moving On, Nathalie Sancoeur Does Not Get Paid Enough, Not Beta Read, Sick Nathalie Sancoeur, her decisions are a bit-look this is someone who married Gabriel so, she's trying to be anyway, this is not a serious fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:26:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28196157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fleurjaune/pseuds/fleurjaune
Summary: Emilie Agreste isn't quite certain whether she's definitely dead, but she is certain she's going to fix things between her husband and her son. Even if that means ensuring her husband falls for his assistant.Nathalie just wishes someone else could see Emilie's ghost.
Relationships: Emilie Agreste/Nathalie Sancoeur, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/Nathalie Sancoeur
Comments: 23
Kudos: 90





	A Purposeful Haunting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Starry_Sky12](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starry_Sky12/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Dynamics Never Die](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27332020) by [Starry_Sky12](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starry_Sky12/pseuds/Starry_Sky12). 



Startled out of her sleep Nathalie blinked around confusedly. She'd fallen asleep at her desk again which suggested _Gabriel_ had woken her up, but that was both unlike him, and he wasn’t standing by her like he would be if that was the case.

In fact she seemed to be completely alone.

She swivelled round in her chair to check behind her and screamed.

“Not happy to see me?” asked Emilie with a flick of her hair.

* * *

“Nathalie?” Gabriel’s voice broke through her panic, and she opened her eyes for a second time, to find him kneeling next to her, “It’s alright, you were having a nightmare.”

She looked around the office but there was no sign of Emilie. Only Gabriel.

The remembered image of Emilie standing there made her shrug off his hand. “I need to go downstairs.”

“Downstairs?” He looked confused for a moment before he took her meaning, “Now? Why?”

She stood up, “Can I?”

“If you want but, Nathalie what is this about? Did you sense something?” His hand went to his Miraculous, “I’m not getting anything.”

She didn’t answer as she went to Emilie’s portrait and typed in the commands. She could feel Gabriel’s confusion but clarifying things felt impossible.

For a moment when she felt him behind her and then his hand on her hip she thought he was going to stop her but then the floor beneath them started to move down and she realised he was just coming with her.

This lift really hadn’t been made for two people.

When they reached the ground she relaxed slightly as everything looked as it should but she still found herself running to the casket to verify that her eyes weren’t deceiving her at this distance and Emilie was lying there, as unmoving and peaceful as always.

Her agitated breathing misted the glass obscuring the view, but in this suspended state Emilie’s face floated above Nathalie’s in a way it never had in life and it remained clear.

Gabriel’s hand rested on her shoulder, “Are you alright?”

“I thought she wasn’t going to be here.”

His grip tightened slightly on her shoulder. “Your nightmare.”

It wasn’t a question.

“I’m sorry monsieur. For all of this. It won’t happen again.” She meant it. No more sleeping at work. If the Nathalie of a few years ago, a few months ago even could see her then she’d be appalled.

“Let’s get back to work,” Gabriel said, letting go of her, “There’s enough to do.”

She could feel the awkward tension between them the entire trip back up.

Just as she was about to sit back down he stopped her. “You didn’t have to apologise. You shouldn’t have to be dealing with this.”

“You shouldn’t either sir.”

They _should_ be living in a world without magical jewellery where Emilie was alive and well, and the Agrestes were happy, and Nathalie only had a normal job to do.

* * *

She eyed her bed with trepidation that night but she had no dreams out of the ordinary.

* * *

The next time she used the Peacock Miraculous she was too out of it after to object when Gabriel carried her upstairs to a bedroom instead of lying her on a couch downstairs.

Listening to his reassurances she stopped fighting the lure of sleep, and drifted off as he stroked her hair.

* * *

Emilie’s green eyes bored into her with exactly the same concern her husband’s had been showing minutes before.

She opened her mouth, and Emilie covered it with her hand, “Don’t panic this time. I need you to listen to me.”

There was no other option. Not with Emilie looking at her like that. Not with the conviction in Emilie’s voice. Nathalie nodded.

Emilie released her.

“Madame? Am I hallucinating?” She asked Emilie, then shook her head, “That’s a stupid question. If you’re my hallucination you’re hardly going to tell me that are you?”

“Well, that ruins my little planned speech. But no, I really am here.” A slight moue of displeasure fractured the perfection of her face, and Nathalie resisted the urge to reach out and try to stroke it away, “Or as much as I can be anyway.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m dead.”

“No, no you’re not. We’re bringing you back, and the casket, it holds you in stasis,”

“It holds my _body_ in stasis. I suppose we just have to hope that if we win my spirit _does_ return to it.”

“So you’re?”

Emilie tilted her head in a performance of thought, “A ghost I suppose. Though not a very exciting one unfortunately.”

“We have to tell Gabriel.” She said, then hurriedly corrected herself in embarrassment, “M.Agreste.”

“No!” Emilie gripped her wrist almost painfully tightly, and Nathalie was struck by the solidity of this self-claimed ghost.

“Why not? This is _important,_ he has to know.”

“You can’t he won’t believe you.” Emilie begged her.

“I don’t understand. He’s desperate to bring you back, we have to tell him,” Nathalie looked into Emilie’s imploring eyes and tried to find an explanation, “Unless, you’ve appeared to him already and he didn’t believe you?”

That seemed hard to believe. Gabriel worshipped Emilie. He always had. The idea of him disbelieving her, it just didn’t make sense. But then, no doubt he dreamt of Emilie every night. He might not realise any of them were true.

If this was true.

“No,” Emilie shook her head, and loosened her grip on Nathalie’s wrist, “I haven’t appeared to him. I _can’t_ appear to him. Or Adrien. I even tried the Kwamis, and they saw _something_ but you’re the only one I’ve been able to have a conversation with Nathalie. You’re my only connection to Gabriel, and I need him to trust you. I _can’t_ have him think you’re gone mad, or that you can’t tell the difference between a dream and reality.”

Nathalie sagged under the weight of yet another burden, “If you’re sure Madame. I just really don’t like the idea of keeping secrets from him.”

“Don’t you already?”

She avoided Emilie’s question, “And you’re sure this is the best way?”

“I know my husband.”

She didn’t dare counter Emilie on that. Emilie _did_ know Gabriel in ways Nathalie never would. But Nathalie knew sides of Gabriel Emilie never would too.

Emilie twirled a piece of hair around her finger looking bored, “And you’re going to have to move in.”

“What?” Nathalie gasped.

“I can’t get through to you when you’re awake, and I seem unable to haunt anywhere other than this house, so it’s the obvious solution.”

“I can’t just invite myself into your house.”

“You won’t have to. Just don’t turn Gabriel down when he does.”

“Madame I really don’t think,”

“Oh and stop all this Madame-ing and M.Agreste-ing, I’ve been watching you and Gabriel since I,” and for the first time Emilie’s voice lost its confidence, “died.”

“Madame?”

* * *

Nathalie woke up.

“How are you?” Gabriel asked, passing her back her glasses. She didn’t remember taking them off. He must have done it for her.

The story of her conversation with Emilie hovered on the tip of her tongue, but as she put her glasses on, and the photo of Emilie from a promotional photoshoot on the wall behind her came into focus, she swallowed them down.

“Tired. What time is it?”

“7 o’clock.”

She started upright but that, but he reached out to stop her, “It’s alright Nathalie. It’s too late for any work now. In fact,” he looked oddly nervous, “If you feel up to it I was wondering if you wanted to eat with Adrien and me.”

“You’re going to eat with Adrien?”

“If you don’t need supervision here,”

“No, no go eat with Adrien. I’ll come if you’re sure.”

“I am, and,” this time he trailed off, and took her hand, and despite the gentleness of his grip she was reminded Emilie’s hold on her wrist.

“Monsieur?”

“I think you should spend the night here.”

“ _Monsieur?”_

“I didn’t mean like _that._ Obviously we’d give you your privacy, but I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be in your apartment alone.”

She wanted to say no. She _should_ say no. Usually she would say no, but Emilie had asked this of her.

“OK”

“You will?” Gabriel sounded surprised, and she wondered how long he’d been prepared to argue the point.

“For tonight.” She confirmed, trying to at least not completely give in to Emilie and Gabriel’s demands.

* * *

“Didn’t Adrien look happy at dinner today?” Emilie smiled, just as warmly her son had seeing on Nathalie and his father at dinner, and whatever qualms Nathalie had had about this whole situation suddenly seemed very little.

“He did.” Nathalie found herself smiling at Emilie. It was ok. _This_ was ok. She was just helping patch things together. There was nothing untoward in eating with the Agrestes and staying the night even if it _was_ unprofessional.

Emilie seemed to almost bounce in excitement where she was sitting on the bed, “You see, we can fix this. _Together._ “

“Fix your situation?” Nathalie asked confused. Emilie had known more about Miraculous magic than Gabriel did, but by this point Nathalie had assumed they’d exhausted that knowledge so if Emilie was unable to leave the house then she wasn’t sure what she’d be able to contribute.

“Not _that_ silly,” Emilie waved her hand away as if her life was some boring unimportant matter. “Adrien and Gabriel.”

“Oh.”

“I don’t know _why_ you’re letting Gabriel make a habit of not eating with our son.”

“Madame,” Nathalie started.

Emilie interrupted her, “I told you, call me Emilie”

It wasn’t worth the argument, even if Nathalie couldn’t fathom why this idea Emilie had never shown any interest in in life was one she’d fixated on in death, “Emilie then. I’m not M.Agreste’s”

“Gabriel’s” Emilie corrected her with a fixed smile.

“I’m not _Gabriel’s_ wife,” Nathalie tried to finish her point, “I’m just his assistant. It’s not appropriate for me to tell him what to do.”

Raising her eyebrows theatrically Emilie said, “But it’s appropriate for you to die for him? It’s appropriate for you to terrorise Paris with him? It’s appropriate for you to convince him to send Adrien to school?”

One of those things didn’t seem like the others to Nathalie but she wasn’t going to labour the point, when, “No, it probably isn’t, but that’s not the point. The point is I don’t have the power over Gabriel you did. I _can’t_ tell him what to do.”

Emilie went back to playing absentmindingly playing with her hair, “You might have a point. Have you ever considered contacts?”

“No. They’re irritating and they're a pain to get out.’ That she'd once seen a story online of a woman who’d had multiple contacts left in overnight and had ended up needing surgery to dig them out of the back of her eye and has never been able to forget it is a totally separate point.

“Humph. What about going blonde?”

Nathalie stared at her.

“No,” Emilie shook her head, “You’re right it wouldn’t suit you.”

“I don't think mimicking you is going to get him to listen to me more. It might get me fired though.”

“Perhaps we’re better at working with what we have. You don't exactly make the most of myself do you?”

Nathalie barely collecting herself, “What?”

Emilie reached out and pulled out her hair pins holding her bun in place, and Nathalie froze in place.

“What are you _doing?”_

Emilie looked at her in satisfaction. “I always wondered what length it was down. Hmm, it does obscure your face a bit though like this doesn’t it? How good at you at styling it? I'm sure my curlers are still in my room.”

“Stop.” Nathalie pulled Emilie hand down from her hair, “Emilie, your husband isn't just going to suddenly listen to me because I turn up at work with my hair down. You're the only women I've ever seen him notice as a _woman_ and not as a mannequin to dress. He’d probably just ask me if I'd lost all my hair ties or something.”

Emilie laughed, but there seemed to be an odd note to it, “Gabriel doesn’t think of you as a mannequin. A pity really, if you let him style you then you really could be something you know.”

“No. He thinks of me as a minion.” She pointed out trying to ignore Emilie’s remark about her appearance, “I only have so much ability to change his mind. I might be able to get him to eat with Adrien once, but I can't get him to do it constantly. That's why we need _you_. He listens to you, and obviously you’re stunning but it's not that Gabriel listens to pretty women in general, it's that he listens to _you,_ because he loves you.”

Emilie's green eyes glistened and Nathalie didn't understand how someone could somehow look prettier on the verge of crying. She could have cultivated it for her acting career, or maybe that was just Emilie.

“I miss him so much.” Emilie said, “I can see him and Adrien but it's not the same. Sometimes I lie down in front of my body when he goes to visit me and I pretend we're having a conversation but _he can't hear me_ and I can't keep pretending because Gabriel always listens to me. You have to help me.”

“I’m trying.” Nathalie tried to reassure her, “We’re trying. We’re going to get you back, and then you can lecture Gabriel on looking after Adrien to your heart's content.”

“Thank you,” Emilie sniffled daintily, “I know you are, but I need you to help me in the meantime too. For Adrien’s sake.”

There was no way Nathalie could refuse that.

“I will. Of course I will Emilie, we’re just going to have to think a bit harder about how to do it.”

“For the record,” Emilie said, “I still think if you went in with your hair down Gabriel would be so flustered he’d give in.”

“I’ll give you that he’d be confused. Honestly I’m not sure he’d recognise me.”

Emilie pouted, “Maybe we’ll save that for the big issues. Now I do think you should try and put more effort into having Gabriel eat with Adrien. Or, at least _you_ should.”

“I’m not sure I can just unilaterally decide that. Anyway I shouldn’t always be here at that time, unless you’re trying to get your husband in trouble for employment law violations.”

“You’re going to be here, because you’re going to have moved in.”

“Emilie.”

“You _are._ Because I need you. Adrien needs you. _Gabriel_ needs you.”

“I _want_ to help you. And Adrien. And Gabriel. And I’m going to, the two of us _will_ get you back but I can’t just move in.”

“Why not?”

“ _Why not?_ There’s a million reasons why not.” Because I'm already too emotionally entangled with your family. Because if I stay here I'll forget I don’t belong here. Because I’m worried my admiration for your husband is changing into something more dangerous with each time we rely on each other to keep going on this quest to save you. Because think of what the press will say. Because think what Adrien would think. Because I’d never stop working and even _I_ know that's unhealthy and probably illegal, “And you don't even know that Gabriel would allow that. _And_ I don't even know if you're real. I don't know why I'm listening to you.”

Indignation flashes across Emilie’s face and even her perfect face can’t quite make it an attractive look but then she shuts her eyes and smiles. “I'll have to take care of it myself then. I _did_ want to work together Nathalie. _Really.”_

* * *

She woke up shivering, and inexplicably damp.

Forcing her eyes open she realised that she's in a (not _her)_ guest room in the Agreste’s house rather than her own apartment, but that didn’t explain the temperature or her damp sheets.

Looking around she discovered that the window was wide open with rain pelting down outside.

The open window explained the temperature and the wet, but she didn’t understand _why_ it was open when she was sure it hadn’t been last night.

It must have been shut but not locked and blown open with the wind she decided.

It was inconvenient though. It meant she had to strip the bed and put the sheets out to wash to avoid mildrew. Not that she shouldn’t have been sending them for washing anyway so the room is clean for its next guest but she could have done that this evening.

She sneezed.

Very inconvenient.

* * *

She didn’t catch sight of Gabriel until after seeing Adrien off, and then she found him at his screen when she entered the Atelier. He didn’t acknowledge her entrance.

Why exactly he was so convinced she had to stay the night if he didn’t have any real concern about her getting through it she wasn’t sure. Perhaps he’d thought better of what he’d done after he’d done it. Which wouldn’t have been a first.

If only he’d change his behaviour _more_ after regretting it. Especially when it came to sending out akumas. Not that she really wanted him to stop. If anything these odd dreams had only increased her resolution to get Emilie back.

Sometimes she did though. When they endangered Adrien too much, or when she saw the gaping void growing between Gabriel and Adrien. Then sometimes she did, and she couldn’t help thinking that they should have told Adrien what they were doing _ages_ ago.

Gabriel’s mood doesn’t seem to improve as the day goes on and while she’s well used to dealing with that, having to fight this cold she’s developed at the same time was a struggle. Between that and the effects of her Miraculous it felt as if her brain was wrapped in cotton wool, and she just couldn’t help sneezing and coughing.

“Just go.” Gabriel said after a particularly loud sneezing fit.

“Monsieur?”

“Go back to bed.” He clarified as if she was an idiot. “You’re clearly in no fit state to work, and you’re only distracting me.”

“But monsieur,”

“Take the tablet if you need to make arrangements for your absence.”

* * *

The wash wasn’t done, so she had to go in search of new sheets to make up the bed. Fun.

* * *

She dozed in and out of sleep.

Some of it must have been a true sleep because Emilie smiled down at her. “I’m sorry about all this, but it’ll work out. You’ll see. Just take what he’s offering.”

“I don’t have the energy for this.” She told the ghost, hallucination, whatever.

* * *

At some point Gabriel came into the room and sat on her bed exactly where the image of his wife had been. “I was too harsh with you earlier.”

She let that stand.

“There was a power surge during the night. On the supply to Emilie. Discovering that put me out of sorts.”

“But she’s ok?”

“Yes. The momentary loss of power doesn’t seem to have done her any harm thankfully.”

“Thank goodness.”

“Did you need anything?”

“Not really. I’ll go down, and get myself some lunch later.”

Gabriel stood up to leave.

“Monsieur?” she called out.

He turned back to her.

“When was the power surge?”

He looked at her oddly. “Two o’clock this morning. But I’ve already reviewed all the reports there’s nothing more you can do about it. “

* * *

She got her tablet out, and flicked through the security feeds until she found a camera covering the outside of the bedroom she was in.

The window opened at the exact moment as the power surge.

The question rolls round in her mind so much she can’t sleep.

Which was particularly unhelpful when she can’t ask Emilie if this was her unless she _is_ asleep.

* * *

She sent Gabriel a reminder that Adrien’s due back from school soon. Not that she really thought that he’s likely to do anything about it. But in her absence she thought that she should at least send it.

And then, at some point she needs to get up and go home, Emilie might disagree with that but even if she _was_ going to stay here which seems unlikely she’d need her clothes and toiletries at least. It’s not as if she could wear _Emilie’s_ clothes.

* * *

Someone knocked on the door, and assuming it was Gabriel she called, “Come in.”

But rather than Gabriel it’s Adrien who appears. “Father said you had a cold.”

“Just a small one.” She told him, “I’ll be fine tomorrow.”

“Nathalie.” Adrien sits on the side of her bed and his eyes are completely his mother’s, “ _Are_ you ok? _Really_? It’s just. You seem to keep getting ill a lot recently.”

Guilt pooled in her stomach. Compared to getting Emilie back what’s happening to her is nothing, and when they win Adrien will understand that, but in the meantime the weight of the lies she was keeping from him still laid heavy on her.

“My immune system’s does seem to be a bit run down recently, but this is just a cold.” It wasn’t a complete lie. This time it actually was.

Adrien looked unconvinced and she wondered when they’d lost her trust, “Well, look after yourself ok? I don’t think Father would know what to do with himself without you.”

“He’d be ok,” she told herself as much as him, “there’s lots of people out there who could do my job.”

From Adrien’s wide eyes it was the wrong thing to say, “I thought you said you were ok.”

“I will be,” she lied, “Don’t worry about me.”

Adrien’s concern preyed on her mind afterwards though. Maybe Emilie was right. It was crossing boundaries but maybe she should try and carve out more of her own time to spend with Adrien. She’d crossed enough boundaries already after all.

* * *

“I’ve been thinking.” Gabriel said, “It’s silly for you to be going back and forth between here and your apartment. Especially in your condition. You should stay here. It’ll be easier for if a suitable option,” his hand hovers over his Miraculous making his meaning clear, “happens outside work hours.”

She could imagine Emilie’s victorious smirk.

“I don’t have enough clothes here.” She said.

“You can collect them tomorrow.”

“It’ll look bad.”

“I’ve told you. You shouldn’t care about what idiots think. Just ignore them and eventually they’re lose interest or come around.”

That might work for Gabriel. Despite the fact she’s tried to cultivate it she still doesn’t have his aura to cow people.

“I’ll give it a go for a month, but _you_ can deal with the questions from the press.”

“You answer the phone.”

“I’ll transfer the calls.”

Gabriel pinches at the bridge of his nose, “If you have to.”

* * *

For all her talk it was a few days after she agreed to move in before Emilie tried to get Nathalie to do anything more. Though that might have been because she'd placated her by eating with Adrien each day.

Not that Nathalie thought it had really been very helpful. She hasn’t really known what to say to him. But Adrien hadn’t seemed to expect much. He’d been quite happy to provide the conversation himself. At least, she thought, she was learning more about his schooling. That’s something she could say to Gabriel if he ever says about it.

She kept expecting Gabriel to say something about it.

She had excuses ready. That it was efficient. That Adrien needed practise eating in company. That it’s easier on the cook.

He hasn’t said anything. Not yet.

Emilie professed no surprise when Nathalie confided this in her.

“I know,” she said, “I _am_ here when you’re awake you know. I still see everything, I just can’t talk to you.”

Now _that_ was a disquieting thought.

“Now go back to explaining to me how this akuma went so badly wrong.”

Nathalie sighed and recounted their lasted failure. “It’s hard on Gabriel” She finished up, “He’s never kept failing like this before.”

“No he hasn’t has he?” Emilie commiserated, “He was always so good at making things happen, that was always one of my favourite things about him.”

Unsure of whether it was appropriate but deciding if she was on a first name basis it was probably alright she took Emilie’s hand, “He’ll succeed at this too eventually.”

Emilie squeezed her hand but, “I don’t fault either of your efforts. I can see the toll it’s taking. My poor Gabriel. I just want to hug him.” An idea crossed her face, “Nathalie you have to hug him for me.”

She let go of Emilie’s hand and drew back, “I can’t just hug him.”

“You have before.”

“When he _needed_ it.”

“He needs it now.”

She couldn’t quite put into words the difference between Gabriel in despair, and Gabriel deeply disappointed but still resolute but it was _there_ and even if it wasn’t the moment was gone.

“I can’t just wake up and go to his bedroom and hug him.”

“You could.”

“I really really can’t.”

“Hug him in the morning then,” Emilie said as if it that wasn’t the most ridiculous idea Nathalie had ever heard.”

“What? Just at random?”

“Why not?” Emilie said, “He needs it. Look at how grumpy he is now. It’s because he’s starved of affection.”

“Maybe he shouldn’t push Adrien away then,” Nathalie snapped.

Emilie’s eyes narrowed and for a second she looked dangerous, “You’re right. So you’re going to help me with that right?”

Nathalie had an uncomfortable feeling she’d trapped herself.

* * *

Nathalie was almost at the bottom of the stairs when something shoved her and she fell forward.

Thankfully Gabriel had just reached the bottom in front of her, and turned at the yelp of panic she made.

“Nathalie!” He caught her in his arms before she could faceplant, “Are you alright?”

“Fine thanks to you.”

“What happened?”

She looked around for whoever had pushed her and found – nothing.

_Emilie._

She’d kill that woman if she wasn’t actively trying to save her life.

“I must have tripped.” 

“It’s not damage from the Peacock then?”

At this angle their faces were very close and his eyes bore into Nathalie’s. She couldn’t tell him the truth, but she could reassure him on that count at least, “No, it’s nothing to do with that.” She swallowed at their continued proximity, “I should stand up.”

He kept a hold on her as she took a step down to regain her balance, clearly unconvinced by her protestations, and since he was _there_ and clearly didn’t mind, she slid her hand up from where it had landed on his chest to his shoulder to give herself something to lean on.

At that point Emilie shoved her _again._ Not enough to overbalance both of them but enough to make Nathalie stumble so now she was completely flush against him.

“Nathalie?”

If Emilie was going to be like this it seemed safer to give her what she wanted. And she could work out what _that_ was. Instead of pulling away she wrapped her arms around Gabriel’s shoulders and tightened her grip on him.

He stiffened for a moment, and then hugged her back.

Apparently she’d needed hugging too. “I’m just so tired.” She admitted.

Gabriel’s hand on her back awkwardly rubbed up and down as if he was trying to comfort her.

“I know.” He said. “I am too. But we _will_ succeed Nathalie. We have to.”

Nathalie thought of Emilie trapped unable to talk to the husband and son she loved and said, “I know.”

* * *

Not that she was any less angry at her, and the moment she saw Emilie she spat out, “What the actual hell?”

Emilie pouted as if she couldn’t understand Nathalie’s ire. “I told you he needed hugging.”

“Not like _that._ Now he thinks I’m unable to walk or something.”

* * *

The thing _is_ that Emilie hadn’t been wrong.

Half because she was afraid of what Emilie might do if she didn’t, and half because if _Gabriel’s wife_ was telling her to do it then it couldn’t be wrong whatever her own qualms told her, she started to reach out to Gabriel more.

And despite his usual antipathy to human contact it _did_ seem to put him in a better mood, when she took his hand to reassure him, or stood next to him with their sides touching as he looked at her screen.

The only issue was that she wasn’t sure she’d know how to stop.

But Emilie had said it had been fine. So it _must_ have been fine.

* * *

If he’d started lending her a hand when she stood up, or helping her on the stairs, well, that was a natural consequence of using the Peacock Miraculous and half Emilie’s fault too.

* * *

“Nathalie,” Emilie stressed the last syllable of her name, “You have to pay attention to what I’m doing.”

Nathalie was paying attention to not reacting to Emilie’s face being that close to hers but she tried to focus again on the mirror, “I think this make-up look is too close to Mayura’s.”

Emilie pulled away and frowned, “Urgh. You might be right. I don’t know how I didn’t notice. It must have been subconscious.”

She hadn’t really thought about it but, “Oh, are you _there_ when I’m in the lair as Mayura then?”

The thought felt awkward. Mayura and Hawkmoth weren’t quite Nathalie and Gabriel and they didn’t have the same formality. The idea of Emilie having been a witness to all of that, for all that much of it wasn’t that different to what Emilie was telling her to do now felt strange.

“Generally I do.” Emilie said, “I _do_ have an investment in it after all. Though I do like to watch the coverage on the TV too. You need to leave your screen on a live news channel when you two go to transform.”

“That might look a little odd to Gabriel.” Nathalie pointed out.

“Oh I have faith in your ability to hide it.”

Nathalie didn’t.

Emilie continued “It _is_ a pity though, it would have been a good look. Though I suppose that makes sense. Mayura looks great, I was impressed that first time you transformed. That’s,” she blushed prettily, “well it doesn’t matter.”

“Your transformation was brilliant too.” Nathalie reassured her. She hadn’t seen it often, and she’d hated it for what it was doing to Emilie _and_ to Gabriel but, “You looked like a literal goddess.”

“Thank you!” Emilie’s smile was spell-binding, “That’s exactly the effect I was going for, but let’s get back to you.”

“Me?”

“And finding a new look. Seeing as this one won’t work.”

“I told you. I don’t need to change how I do my make-up. It’s been fine for years.” If this was another plan of Emilie’s to make her more attractive to make Gabriel more amenable to her she might actually scream. She’d explained why that wouldn’t work.

“But you weren’t the face of the company then.”

That was ridiculous. “I’m not _now._ ”

“Gabriel sends you everywhere with that tablet instead of going himself. If you’re going to be seen with him you need to look the part.”

“I don’t think anyone’s looking at _me._ ”

“Woman to woman?” Emilie said, “They’re always looking at you.”

They might have always looked at Emilie. Nathalie could understand that. But this was probably another case of Emilie forgetting that Nathalie wasn’t her.

“Anyway isn’t this fun? It's like having friends.” 

That made Nathalie’s resistance collapse. “Alright then.”

Emilie babbled on about colours and idea and Nathalie didn’t want to make her unhappy but, “What do you mean _like_ having friends? You had plenty of friends. Before I mean.”

“When I was alive you mean?”

“You’re not dead.”

“Hmm.” Emilie tilted her head, “I had people who were useful to me, and whom I was useful to. I’m not sure that’s quite the same thing.”

“I’ll be your friend.” Nathalie said, even as guilt pooled in her stomach about all the thoughts she’d had about wanting Gabriel to give up, “As much as I can be when I work for your husband.”

“You already are.” Emilie said. “I do see everything you do.”

* * *

“I need these sent to the client by tomorrow,” Gabriel said as he slid some files across her desk.

“Of course monsieur.”

Gabriel looked up and froze.

Caught in his gaze Nathalie found herself unable to move.

“You changed your make-up” He said.

“Is it bad?” she asked suddenly self-conscious. Maybe she _shouldn’t_ have trusted Emilie. “I thought with my role being more public facing now it needed an upgrade but,”

“No, no it’s good. Keep it. I should have thought of that myself.”

* * *

“That Lila girl.” Emilie said. “I don’t like her.”

“Me neither.” Nathalie admitted, “I want to kick myself for believing her and letting her in the door.”

“You couldn’t have known she was a total liar. And utterly ambitious. And obsessed with Adrien. All of which I wouldn’t mind if she _actually_ cared for him, but I do believe that she only cares for herself. You have to get her away from my son Nathalie.”

“I want to, but what can I _do?_ Gabriel thinks she’s useful.”

“He would.”

“In his defence she _is_ for akumas.”

“I don’t care. I want her gone.”

“But _how?”_

“This being dead is _so_ infuriating.” Emilie twisted a strand of hair around her finger as she thought, “Oh, oh I know. Audrey’s daughter must hate her too right?”

“I think so.”

“Perhaps you might suggest to Chloé that she have the girl thrown out of school. Frame her for stealing homework or something.”

“I can’t just ask Chloé Bourgeois to get Lila Rossi thrown out of school. I don’t even know if she could.”

“Her father’s the mayor-of course she could. But you do have a point. This might take slightly more thought.”

* * *

One day Nathalie vowed, as she took the purse out of Chloé’s bag the next time she came to the house, and then put it in Lila Rossi’s bag when the girl mysteriously got wind of the other first girl being there and turned up, she was going to stop sinking to new lows for the Agrestes.

* * *

Hawkmoth threw his cane at the floor in frustration when Chat Noir caught the akuma and Ladybug purified it.

“I thought she was _cleverer_ than that.”

“At least you got a good akuma out of it,” Chloé had been shockingly vicious this time compared to previous akumatisations. It boded well for her complaining to her father to get Lila thrown out of their school after.

“We still lost and,” He focused on her, “Why are you still transformed? Stop it now.”

Thrown by the change of subject she did, even as she hated what she knew was coming, but he caught her as she stumbled out of it and pulled her down to the floor with him.

It wasn’t uncomfortable sat up encircled by him, and letting his chest take her weight Nathalie listened as he went back to his rant, “The only high point of today was that Ladybug seemed almost reluctant to act. We might be wearing her down. But that makes it harder to get her Miraculous. And now we can’t use Lila as a model after Chloé accused her of theft at that high volume in front of all of Paris, so who knows if she’ll still talk to us, though there is still Adrien but,”

“Gabriel,” Nathalie said stopping his tirade in its tracks and she forced herself to meet his eyes like Emilie had told her to, “Can I ask you for a favour?”

He brushed an errant hair off her face, “What do you need?”

“You know I want to give you what you want, to help you succeed.”

“Of course I know that.”

“Then, I know it sounds damaging to our cause, but with all of this could we stop having Lila over to the house? It won’t look good for the brand, and she makes Adrien uncomfortable, and it’s not as if she’s not going to be angry enough to talk to Hawkmoth after all of this.”

“But,”

“She’s one teenage girl. There’s hundreds like her in Paris. We don’t need her. _We_ can do this together.”

Gabriel is silent and for a moment she thinks she’s gone too far then he exhales and says, “She was too stuck on her own vendetta anyway.”

* * *

That night Emilie was vibrating with excitement when Nathalie met her. “Now I just need to inspect the rest of them”

“The rest of them?” Nathalie asked with a sinking feeling.

“His _other_ schoolfriends.”

“Oh.”

“I suppose in the circumstances I can see why you didn’t ask me but I don't like having no control over this part of Adrien’s life. I put so much effort into making his home-schooling perfect.”

“Adrien _likes_ school.” Nathalie had to point out, “And Gabriel doesn't have the time to home school him the way _you_ did, and the way it was since you,” her tongue stumbled as she realised what she was going to say, “were lost to us,”

“You can say died.”

She took Emilie’s hand, “We're getting you back.”

“Hmm. Yes I can see why that works on Gabriel.” Emilie said, completely inexplicably, “But continue.”

She'd completely lost her train of thought but she just about managed to force herself back on track, “So. It wasn't working. For any of us, but for Adrien most of all. He’s happier now.”

“I know. That's the only reason I haven’t made you make Gabriel pull him out.”

“Now _that_ would be an easy thing to convince him to do.”

That made the corners of Emilie’s lips crook up in amusement, and the image was so pretty Nathalie couldn't help but mirror her.

“Where’s the fun in easy things? No. I need to check none of the rest of his new friends are like that Lila.”

“Didn't you already see some of them? At Adrien’s disaster of a secret birthday party?”

“Yes well, that DJ boy is on thin ice too. I'm sure he's a bad influence. But I need more evidence. You'll have to set up more playdates for Adrien.”

“I _can’t._ ” This was starting to feel slightly repetitive.

“Why not? You schedule everything for him don't you?”

“You know how Gabriel reacted to me letting Lila in.”

“I know. He's so protective of me.” She caught Nathalie’s eye and smirked, “It’s hot isn’t it?”

“Um,” her brain was flashing warning lights at her, and she had no pre-prepared response for _this_ topic coming up like that.

Emilie looked amused, and it was really utterly unfair for someone to be both that annoying and that attractive, “I’ll be offended if you disagree.”

“Loyalty is attractive,” she managed.

“I guess it is. Only when it's wanted though. Now back to having Adrien’s friend’s over.”

* * *

“And is that it for the day Nathalie?” Gabriel asked her.

She felt a little like she might either faint or throw up, and her brain was running images of how wrong this could go on repeat, but in the most monotone voice she could manage she said, “Adrien has a school project coming up that will necessitate some of his classmates coming over to work on it, over the next two weeks or so, I will of course make sure they’re confined to Adrien’s room, and have vetted the children in question.”

He looked a little thrown, “They have to come here?”

“It seemed preferable to having Adrien out in places we didn't know but I could make adjustments if you wish Monsieur.”

“And you're only telling me this _now_ why?”

“Gabriel.” It was a change of direction but she and Emilie had discussed it and it seemed worth the risk, “I know how busy you are with work right now, and with Hawkmoth. I wanted the preliminaries sorted before I spoke to you. I didn't want to distract you.”

“If it's the best option I guess I can allow it. But Nathalie, _please_ ensure they’re quiet.”

* * *

Adrien threw his arms around her after that days friend was out the door, “Thank you.”

“For what?”

He pulled back, “I know this wasn’t Father.”

She couldn't help her panicked look back at the Atelier. “Shush. Don’t say anything to him.”

* * *

“That Marinette.”

“Yes?” Nathalie asked trying to concentrate on the updo she was giving Emilie’s hair. Not that anyone would see it, but having Emilie always be the one to play with her appearance felt off.

“She's not terrible. Though my god she needs some confidence. She and Adrien could complement each other though, she reminds me a bit of Gabriel.”

“I'm not seeing it. Unless you mean that Audrey complimented both of them as designers.”

“She did?” Emilie turned round to face her and almost ruined the whole thing, “Oh now that's interesting. Tell me more.”

“There isn't that much more to tell.” To Nathalie the most important part of that day had been Gabriel considering giving up. But then he hadn't. And she couldn't say that, and that she'd hoped for that to _Emilie._

* * *

“A Christmas party?”

Emilie nodded as if it wasn’t the most ridiculous thing Nathalie had ever heard, “Yes. My dear Gabriel needs to interact more. _And_ it’d be good for Adrien. _And_ it'll be good for the brand.”

“A Christmas party with people in the industry?”

“Don't sound so shocked. We _always_ used to have one.”

“You always used to have one.” Nathalie corrected her.

Emilie waved her objections away. “Details. Details. It was _the_ place to be. And I don't like that my absence is stopping that. Besides I've done all the work for you.”

“What?”

“Look in my drawer.”

* * *

“Nathalie?” Gabriel burst through her bedroom door looking frantic, “Are you ok?”

“I’m fine. Why wouldn't I be fine?”

“I heard a crash.”

 _Emilie._ She must have been haunting again, even though interacting with the physical world seemed to damage her physical body.

His eyes flicked up and down over her as if he had to check that she truly was alright and Nathalie was suddenly aware of just how undressed she was in this particular set of pyjamas and had to fight down her blush.

“That's strange.” She stood up carefully. “Did you want me to come with you to see what it was?”

Gabriel’s eyes were stuck to the floor looking at all the papers around it, “What are all these?”

“Emilie’s plans for the Christmas party the year we lost her. I found them earlier.”

He looked over them, “I hadn’t realised she’d been so advanced in her planning. It was still spring when it happened.”

That hadn’t occurred to Nathalie but it was oddly organised for Emilie.

“I think she knew what was coming,”

“You think she expected us to do this _without_ her?”

“It sounds mad but I’m starting to think so. Or it makes it look like that at least.”

Gabriel bent down to look at the various bits of paper and Nathalie followed his example mindful of the lack of distance between them.

He picked up Emilie’s moodboard of decorations, “Do you think you could?”

“What?”

“Could you organise this?”

“Yes.” Events she could do but she couldn’t help but be confused, it wasn’t _meant_ to be this easy, “If you want me to?”

“I have been behind on my networking. Why not let you and Adrien take some of the strain?”

* * *

Nathalie stared at the dress on the bed.

“If you’re here and you can hear me I want you to know that I’m not falling for your joke, I’m not being _Rebecca-ed_ and turning up dressed as you. I don’t even know what you were thinking.”

“I was thinking it was a good dress and it would suit you.” Emilie said looking a picture of innocence.

It might be more effective if Nathalie didn't have long practice knowing that look was fake on Adrien’s face, but she did, so she gave Emilie the glare she deserved.

“It is a really nice dress.” Emilie tried to justify.

“I said no. And you shouldn’t be endangering yourself for nonsense things like that.”

She gasped with my hand on her chest in fake offence, “How can you call clothes nonsense when you've worked for Gabriel for so long? It's important.”

“ _This_ is nonsense.”

“What are you wearing then?”

Nathalie went to her wardrobe and pulled out the dress.

Emilie didn't look impressed. “I don't understand how you managed to find the dress version of your normal work outfit.”

“It's velvet,” Nathalie tried to defend herself, “Velvet’s festive.”

“It's a long sleeved red polo neck.”

“But it’s _velvet._ And a minidress.” That have her some pause, “Do you think it's too short considering some of Adrien’s friends will be there?”

“No, you’ve good enough legs to carry it off.”

“That’s not my concern.”

“It'll be fine. You being you I assume you've wearing tights with it.”

“It’s not exactly the season not to.”

“It’ll be fine then.”

“So what exactly is your plan for dealing with Gabriel at the party?” She asked despite how much she dreaded it. “Stay close to him and try to keep him calm?”

That wasn’t that different to what Nathalie usually did but she had a feeling somehow that Emilie’s idea of staying close to Gabriel was somewhat closer than her own idea.

“Oh no, _your_ job is talk to people. You’re the hostess.”

“I’m not really.”

“You are though. And if you do it and might force him to feel some shame and help you out.”

“It would be good for him to interact with people more.”

“It would be wouldn’t it,” Emilie have a dazzling smile, and Nathalie tried to not get distracted by it because Emilie knew the effect she had on people. “Now what shoes are you wearing?”

* * *

Nathalie kept trying to surreptitiously keep her hair out of her face. The messy bun they’d ended up on had been a compromise between herself and Emilie who’d developed some obsession with trying to get her to take her hair down, but right now she was just being strongly reminded of what she usually did her hair the way she did.

And what was worse is that she was expected to make _small talk._

She could deal with people when she was working. She had no issues answering the phone. She was fine with standing in front of a bunch of people holding the tablet.

But conversation that wasn’t supposed to be about work, but wasn’t meant to be consequential either. That she hated.

Emilie should be here doing this. This was her territory not Nathalie’s.

Or even Gabriel should be. It _was_ technically his party.

“So you work at the Louvre then?”

“Yes,” The man she was talking to, she thought his name might have been Alim said, “I was the director on the Tutankhamun exhibition actually.”

“Oh,” That does catch her attention. If there’s a chance he might know any about the Miraculous he might be a contact worth cultivating, “That must have been a big job to organise. My sympathies. I heard it went off well though.”

“There were a few issues-you know what it’s like in Paris these days,”

“Yes, I’ve suffered through our fair share of _those_ sort of issues.”

“Nathalie,” Gabriel said from somewhere behind her, “Have you seen Adrien?”

“Not recently,” She replied worried turning to face him, “Has he disappeared? Do you need me to find him?”

He looked somewhere over her shoulder, “Don’t worry. I see him.”

Oddly though he didn’t leave her then and in fact he struck around for most of the night. She had the unnerving sensation she was being used as a shield as if she was Emilie but she couldn’t complain too much when she appreciated it. It was _easier_ to get through all these awkward conversations with him there with her.

* * *

“I can’t dance.”

Emilie pulled her up to standing, “Look it’s easy, just follow Gabriel.”

“I don’t think it’s that easy.” Nor did she think she could assume Gabriel would dance with her but that didn't seem worth the argument.

“Come on,” Emilie said, “Just put your arms around my neck, and pretend I’m him, and I’m taller than you”

She couldn’t keep her disbelief off her face. Emilie could tuck in quite perfectly under Nathalie’s chin, the same way as Nathalie would under Gabriel’s.

“OK, that might be a little difficult I concede.” Emilie said. “But look just come here, all you have to do is sway.”

It’s oddly comfortable, but not something Nathalie can ever see herself doing in the public. No, this is something for darkened rooms at night in private.

* * *

Gabriel looks over the floor of dancers “Shall we dance then?”

“You’re asking me?”

“Emilie never let me get away without one dance. She said it was rude not to.”

“I’m not much of dancer.”

“That’s not much of a dance,” He takes her hand and pulls her towards the floor, “It’s easy, just much your arms around my neck, and follow me.”

She starts at his repetition of Emilie, and for a moment she thinks that Emilie must have been lying to her the whole time, and that the two of them are playing some trick on her, but just before she flees she realises that one of them must have used it on the other before.

* * *

“So you have to record it for me.”

“I’d be doing that anyway for Gabriel.”

Emilie tensed, “Gabriel’s not going to watch Adrien play?”

“Gabriel doesn’t go to school events. You know that.”

“But they were all silly little things. This is _Adrien._ Performing. Oh he can be so obtuse sometimes. Nathalie you have to convince him to go or Adrien will be so upset.”

“I know. But what can I _do?_ What would _you_ do?”

“Well I’d usually raise with it him in bed just before he fell asleep but I don’t think that’s going to work here.”

“No. No it’s not.”

Emilie sighed, “You’ll just have to do it.”

“What?”

“Present it to Gabriel as a fait accompli.”

“I’m not driving him to the school and only admitting that’s where we’re going once I’m there.”

“Oh!” Emilie said, “I know.”

* * *

It didn’t feel anything like dancing with Emilie.

It felt _everything_ like dancing with Emilie.

It felt safe somehow dancing with Gabriel, when it shouldn’t not at all, but then Nathalie always been ready to follow him anywhere. Dancing with Emilie hadn’t been safe at all.

But. The sensation of warmth and belonging she’d had with Emilie. She had that here with Gabriel too.

And that makes her do what Emilie asked.

“It’s going well I think.” She ventured to Gabriel.

“It is.”

“I’m be glad I have until Monday before we have to face people again.”

“What’s happening Monday?”

She isn’t quite able to lie to his face, not right now like this, so she rests her head on his chest instead, “Adrien’s piano recital. I told you about it the other day.”

“What?”

“Gabriel?” She did her best to fake confusion and worry just like Emilie had made her practise, “You said you’d go. I booked the tickets. Adrien’s so excited.”

She waited for the explosion as she watched the confusion on his face but in the end he didn’t admit to having no memory of this, and just said, “You’d better be coming too.”

* * *

Emilie almost knocked her over with a hug the moment she appeared that night, “Everything went perfectly!”

* * *

“Adrien did well today.” Gabriel said. “Not distracted by his classmates. And he seemed…happy. Like he used to be. With Emilie. You could hear it in his playing.”

Nathalie sat down on the arm of his chair, “He’s a sensible boy. And diligent. He’s not going to forget everything you’ve taught him just because his friends are around.”

“Perhaps I misjudged the situation. If he can build his social skills without his behaviour suffering maybe I could suffer a friend of his other once or twice a month.”

“That sounds like a good idea.” Nathalie agrees, and gathering her courage she put her hand on Gabriel’s shoulder, and said, “Adrien would enjoy that. But I don’t think it was his friends who made him happy today.”

“What do you mean?”

“You were there. This is the first school event of Adrien’s you’ve attended. That means a lot to him.”

“Adrien must have known I’d approve of his performance. My presence shouldn’t be necessary for that.”

“I don’t know what he would.”

“Why wouldn't he? He knows my expectations and he surpassed them.”

“Adrien’s desperate for your approval.”

“He doesn't act like it sometimes. His classmates’ influence I'm sure.”

Nathalie re-phrased quickly, “He's desperate for _approval._ He used to get it from Emilie. Without her, he's looking for it elsewhere, from his friends, from _me_ even sometimes, and from you. He knows you’re busy. When you make time for him it means a lot for him.”

“You know why I can’t spend more time with him.”

“I do.” _Hawkmoth._ Sucking up time when they should be working and displacing work into when he should be with Adrien. “But I can review your schedule and do my best to make time. I can try.”

“Can’t you just spend more time with him?”

“What?”

“I know sometimes you’re just sitting there waiting for calls. Couldn’t you do that _with_ Adrien, if you think that’s the best way to keep him on track?”

She had _no_ idea how to respond to that. 

“I’ve been eating dinner with him,” she said eventually, thinking this was as good a time as any to bring that up.

“I know.”

She could only hope her shock didn't show as much on her face as she felt, “You _know?_ But you didn't say anything.”

“That seemed unnecessary.” He said, and Nathalie waited for more.

“It seemed am efficient way of doing things.” He justified at her silence.

She could hear Emilie’s voice in her head and maybe that's what made her bold. She lifted her hand from his shoulder to cradle the side of his face and make him look directly at her, “Why don't you join us then?”

“I've work.”

“You have to eat. It’d make Adrien and me very happy if you are with us rather alone in your office.”

“Would it?” He said, and his hand slid behind her to rest on her back. For a moment she felt the pressure from it pushing her in and she has to brace herself with her spare hand against his closer shoulder to stay stable.

“It would.” She said.

That seemed to break some sort of spell because Gabriel released her, and when she copied his example unsure what was happening he stood up.

“Thank you for telling me,” he said, then walked out of the room leaving Nathalie confused as to what just happened.

It’s only after that she realised how at that final moment his gaze had been on her lips.

* * *

“Are you trying to make me seduce your husband?”

Emilie’s hand went sheepishly to the back of her neck, in an action so eerily reminiscent of Adrien, and expressing an emotion so uncommon for her that Nathalie wondered again if she was imagining all of this to make justify what was happening between her and Gabriel.

Either way it was as good as an admission. 

“Oh my god.” Nathalie said, “Everything I've been doing, everything you've been telling me to, what on earth must Gabriel think of me? We've been working to get you back and I've been hitting on him.”

“Gabriel has no idea.”

“But,”

“Trust me.” Emilie said dryly, “I love the man but he has the perception of a brick wall. I sent him signals for months in response to those longing looks he used to cast me and _nothing._ I had to snog him to get it through his thick skull that I was interested back.”

Nathalie tried to imagine that and as compelling as the image was she got stuck on the logistics, “Did you just walk up to him and pull him down or?”

“I took my chance when he was making last minute adjustments to the shoulder of a dress I was wearing to a premiere to grab his face and kiss him.”

Nathalie couldn't help but laugh at the image. “I can just imagine his face.”

“Actually,” Emilie says thoughtfully, “He adjusted pretty quickly. I was surprised actually. I’d recommend trying it if I were you.”

“ _Emilie.”_ She couldn’t stop it coming out as a shriek even though it shouldn’t have been a shock with what Emilie had just said. But saying it so _blatantly._

“I’m just saying. He was good. And I’ve trained him up to be better.”

“I can’t just kiss your husband. _Your husband._ I don’t understand why you’re doing all of this.”

“I notice you never said you didn’t want to.”

“What?”

“You want Gabriel don’t you?”

Nathalie took a step away from her. “That’s not the point. _He_ certainly doesn’t want me.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

“I am. And he _doesn’t._ He wants _you._ His _wife._ The woman he promised to be faithful to. All of this, what is this? Is this some sort of test for him? He’s literally terrorising a whole city to get you back. You don’t need to do this.”

Emilie looked down at her lap, “Is that what you think of me?”

She looked up at Nathalie through her eyelashes with unshed tears glimmering in her eyes and Nathalie _hated_ herself for it but she couldn’t help but say, “Of course it’s not. But I just don’t understand.”

“It’s all for Adrien.” Emilie sniffled, “For my baby.”

That didn’t clarify anything, especially given, “I don’t think _Adrien_ would be impressed if I had an affair with his father.”

Emilie smiled sadly, “Gabriel never told you did he?”

“Never told me what?”

“That time he was going to tell Adrien he was Hawkmoth and he didn’t. Did you never wonder what happened?”

“I wondered constantly, but there were plenty of reasons he could have changed his mind.” She’d been hurt, a little, that he’d never explained them to her but she knew that at the end of the day Adrien was _his_ son not _hers_ and she didn’t have the right to be disappointed.

“Adrien told him he was happy for the two of you getting together, and that you were already family, and Gabriel being Gabriel he panicked.”

“Adrien thinks of me as family?”

“You’ve been here long enough.”

“As staff.”

Emilie rolled her eyes, “You’re been more of a parent to him than Gabriel has recently.”

“He’s,”

“I know what he’s doing. And why. But that doesn’t change that Adrien needs more than he’s getting.”

“I know, but I don’t know what to give him. I’m not maternal. I have no idea what a teenage boy needs and even if I was good at the whole touchy-feely emotional side of things, which I’m _not,_ then it’s not my place to offer that, even if there was something between me and his father which there _isn’t_.”

“Isn’t it my place?”

“What?”

“Don’t I have the right to try to improve things for my son?”

“You’re his mother. Obviously you do.”

“And I’ve decided you’re how I want to do it.”

“Only because you don’t have any other options.”

Emilie shrugged.

“Look,” Nathalie said, “I love Adrien, and I care too much for Gabriel I can’t deny that. I’m willing to do whatever you want me to do to help them. I’d do anything for your family. And, I know it must be infuriating for you to not be able to order Gabriel around the way you usually would, but this idea of yours. It’s not going to work, _this,_ isn’t going to be how we make him listen to me.”

“But.”

“No buts. We’re not doing it. We’ve been,” she forces herself to say it, “lucky he’s never noticed but that won’t go on indefinitely. He’d realise eventually and then I won’t be _here_ to help you.”

“I think you’re wrong about how he’d react.”

“And if I am? Then what am I meant to do when we bring you back. I’d die for you and your family Emilie, and if I don’t and the best thing for all of us is for me to resign so you and him can forget all of this then I can do that too. But I can’t start something with Gabriel only to be thrown aside like a used dishrag when he gets you back.”

“Right. When he gets me back.” Emilie took her hand, “Have you ever thought about what happens if he _doesn’t?_ ”

“I can’t let myself think about that. He’s going to. We’re going to.”

“Just think about it. OK?”

* * *

She collapsed onto the pillows when Gabriel carefully placed her down on the bed, “You need to stop using it.” He said, “We’ll find another way, I’m not losing you too.”

She didn’t have the strength to nod.

He didn’t seem to need her to anyway. He fussed around taking off her shoes and pulling on her blazer. She waited for him to stop but he didn’t seem quite cognizant of the situation as he pulled out her pyjamas, until his hands went to the waistband of her trousers to undo them.

“It’s ok,” She managed to force out past what felt like thorns in her throat, “I don’t mind.”

Maybe it was Emilie’s words echoing in her head, but she could have sworn she saw a faint blush on his face as he helped her re-dress for bed, even though Gabriel should be well used to unclothed bodies.

* * *

Gabriel didn’t leave her side the entire afternoon, working on his tablet sat next to her. Every so often he’d look over as if to check she was still breathing.

She’d have expected to be bored but somehow watching him she found she wasn’t.

When he does leave she found herself missing him, and shut her eyes and tried to force herself to sleep.

Then she felt weight in the bed to her and on surreptitiously turning her head, she found he’d joined her there.

She settled back into her pillows and let herself wonder if Emilie had a point.

* * *

She rolled over to see Emilie sitting beside her husband, stroking his hair. Or trying to at least. She could see how her hand passed though the strands as if it was insubstantial.

Emilie had always been solid when Nathalie touched her, but then she had said Gabriel couldn't see her, that's why all of this exists.

Gabriel’s presence here is odd though. Her room has always looked the same when she has these waking dreams but she didn’t think anyone else would come with her. Gabriel hadn’t been there that first time she’d seen Emilie in the Atelier.

“You could just lean over and kiss him you know.” Emilie suggested when she caught Nathalie watching.

“He’s asleep.”

“He’d like it.”

“I think that’s more than I ever wanted to know about you two. And I told you. I’m not doing this.”

“Oh, you know you want to know more than that.” Emilie said ignoring her last comment.

“Don’t. Not while he's here like this.”

Emilie shifted so she was more definitely on the bed, and learned over Gabriel putting a hand down on Nathalie's side of him to better balance, “I think that makes it the perfect time. You can practice.”

“ _Practice?”_

She was starting to suspect that Emilie _liked_ flustering her.

“It's simple,” Emilie said reaching out with the arm she wasn't putting her weight on, and catching Nathalie’s chin, “You just lean forward,” She leant forward, “And kiss him,” she kissed Nathalie.

It felt like time stopped for a moment but when Emilie pulled back from her chaste kiss Nathalie couldn't help but follow her.

Emilie let her, and they were kissing again and Nathalie didn't know what on earth she was doing except that if someone like Emilie offered you this then you didn't turn it down, and really it was very hard to think about anything other than Emilie and Emilie's lips right now.

She didn't even notice her hand scrabbling for purchase and finding it on Gabriel’s arm.

Then he moved underneath her and she was suddenly very aware of the situation, and pulled away from Emilie.

He sat upright and she braced herself for his anger, even as she tried to work out how exactly he’d ending up holding her hand.

“Mind if I cut in?” He asked her, sounding amused.

She nodded not trusting her voice in the moment.

He turned to Emilie smiling.

“You can see me?” Emilie asked.

“Should I not be able to?”

Emilie looked him frantically up and down before her eyes rested on their entwined hands. “Nathalie don’t let go of him.”

Gabriel looked confused but Emilie kissed him before he could say anything and he was soon well distracted, especially when his wife flung her leg over to straddle him.

Nathalie was unable to look away, as she followed Emilie’s instruction despite herself, terrified at how far they're go with her there watching. She shouldn't watch. She should look away, but how could she look away from them.

Emilie drew back from her husband, “Go on then,”

He looked at Nathalie and then back at his wife.

She nodded, and he turned and let go of Emilie and before she knew what was happening he was kissing Nathalie.

That was when she knew this was a dream. There was no way this could be happening. No _way_ that either Agreste would kiss _her_ rather than each other.

That was probably the last coherent thought she had before Emilie's arm snaked around her back and she pushed both her and Gabriel down onto the bed.

* * *

Nathalie wasn’t quite sure what had woken her up, but at first when she realised her head was lying on Gabriel’s chest she, quite reasonably, assumed she was still dreaming and snuggled in against him.

Only then she felt him try to, admittedly gently, lift her off and she realised she clearly wasn’t dreaming, and she frantically scrambled away from him.

“I’m sorry monsieur,” she said, utterly mortified, and terrified of what expression she’d find on his face if she was to turn on her bedside light. “I forgot where I was for a moment. It won’t happen again.”

He was silent for a moment. “Where did you think you were?”

She wasn’t able to read his tone, and that frightened her as much as anything else because if she didn’t know what he was thinking then she didn’t know how he wanted her to answer and that meant she couldn’t give him that answer.

And the question of _how long he had been awake_ and whether she’d _done anything_ or _said anything_ in her sleep kept swirling round in her brain.

“I don’t know. I’m sorry. ” She said in a panic, and lied, “I must have been dreaming or something, I don’t remember.”

Perhaps in the dark he’d not have noticed she’d woken up and he’d write that last impropriety of hers off as unconscious.

Not that that made anything much better. She’d imagined _that_ while lying next to him. Hallucination or ghost Emilie was ruining her, and “I’ll pack my bags in the morning.”

“Oh calm down Nathalie.” Gabriel said, though he still sounded irritated, “You were asleep. These things happen. Let’s just forget about it.”

That sounded like an excellent idea to her. “Yes, let’s.”

Not that she could forget about it. Or forget how Gabriel had felt just like her dream of Gabriel.

“Well, you seem recovered enough now. I’d best get back to my own bed.”

“What time is it?” She asks, trying to ignore how eager he is to get away from her, when in her dream he’d been _exactly_ the opposite. From the utter darkness of the room she’d guess it’s still dark outside.

“Half past three in the morning.”

She stared at him and was glad he couldn’t see her. “Did I wake you?”

“No, no, just a dream.”

“A nightmare?” She asks in concern, and all her instincts are to move closer to comfort him but her subconscious clearly cannot trusted and so she resolutely ignored those urges.

“Not exactly.” He said, sounded something chagrined. He stood up, “Anyway I should be off. And I apologise.”

“Apologise?”

“For putting you in this situation. And for waking you. I just didn’t want you to think I was taking advantage.”

“I wouldn’t have thought you were. I know Emilie’s the only woman you’d ever look at.”

“Right. Of course.” He hesitated as if he was going to say something more, but then he shook his head and left the room.

She was left to lie in her own shame by herself and attempt and fail to get to back to sleep so she’d have at least some chance of getting through work tomorrow, but it felt impossible to sleep _here_ after that. 

* * *

“You _idiot._ ” Emilie said, “Can you get over your self-sabotaging self-worth issues and try to not screw it up when I give you a perfect scenario? Sometimes I despair of you.”

“What?” Nathalie asked, she didn’t understand. She certainly wouldn’t call the dream a manifestation of her self-worth issues.

Emilie held her hands up and mimicked quotation marks, and said “I know Emilie’s the only women you’d ever look at”, in voice that Nathalie could only assume was supposed to be her.

“I don’t sound like that.” She said. She definitely hadn’t said it like _that¸_ with all the emotion and longing Emilie had put into it, and somewhat uncharitably she wondered if Adrien and her research into the Miraculous hadn’t been the only reason Emilie’ acting career had stuttered if _that_ was her idea of an impersonation.

“That’s not the point,” Emilie’s disbelief was clear, “Why on earth did you scare him off like that? Did it _really_ feel like I was the only woman he’d ever look at when he was kissing you?”

“What?” That had been a _dream._ It _had_ to be.

* * *

Nathalie’s alarm went, and she cursed it. She needed an answer _now._

“Emilie?” She asked her empty room, feeling stupid. “If that wasn’t just a dream of mine, if you were there, if _Gabriel_ was there could you do something?”

Emilie had done things before. The window. The dress. But Nathalie had never seen any of that, and part of her wondered if that was all a coincidence or something she’d done herself sleepwalking or something.

Though if she was going mad then if Emilie did do something now she’d have no way of knowing she wasn’t imagining _that_ either.

The picture on the wall opposite fell off it with a crash.

There certainly didn’t _seem_ to be any reasonable explanation, but she finds herself getting up to inspect the wall as if there could be.

That Emilie might haunt the house isn’t any more ridiculous than the existence of the Miraculous but that last night might have been as real as any other interaction she had with Emilie _is_.

* * *

She should really be trying to watch Gabriel to see if _he_ gives away any clues about the other night but that would include watching Gabriel and she _can’t._ Not with what she remembers. Instead she tries to look at him as little as possible and talk to him as little as possible too.

It’s easier than it could have been because Gabriel seems to be trying to do the same to her.

She can’t read anything into that though. Not when there’s enough explanation for awkwardness in what she knows actually definitely did happen last night.

* * *

“What on earth was yesterday?”

“Something I should have thanked you for,” Emilie said throwing Nathalie off completely, “You can't understand but I thought I'd never get to touch Gabriel again, that his hand in mine as I dropped out of consciousness was the last moment I’d ever get. How this magic works I don't know but I owe you more than I can ever say.”

“But, you’re _going_ to see him again. That’s what all this is for.”

Emilie smiled sadly and shook her head. “I'm not.”

“What?” Nathalie asked, “I know we’re not winning, I’m know we’re slowing down but,”

Emilie held up her hand to stop her, “I'm not because you and Gabriel are going to stop.”

“But,”

“Come on it’s not like _you_ don’t want to. And like you said it's not like you two are winning anyway.”

“But, this is all your idea. We're doing it _for_ you. What could possibly have changed your mind?”

“Adrien’s Chat Noir.”

Nathalie felt like the ground had disappeared beneath her. “What? No. He can't be.”

“And what reasoning do you have for that?”

“I didn’t want him to be.” She realised, and hated herself for it. She’d been _blind._

“Quite.” Emilie draped an arm around her in support and Nathalie let her, “I was appalled when I found out too.”

“How?”

“Oh I haunt Adrien's room quite often. It's all I can do for him. His Kwami doesn’t like me much. Not that we can interact but he knows something's there when I am and he's always trying to shift me out.”

“Adrien’s Kwami?”

“A little cat. Lazy. Likes cheese.”

“ _That’s_ why Adrien’s ordering so much camembert?”

“You noticed and you never thought that was odd?”

“Of course I thought it was odd. Especially as he didn’t seem to be eating it. But what could I say to Gabriel, 'Monsieur I’m worried your son has got into online cheese trading?’”

Then it finally hit her that the actual conversation she would be having was _so_ much worse.

“Oh god. Now I have to tell him Adrien’s Chat Noir. Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Why did you let us go on fighting him?”

“And what do you think Gabriel would do, if you told him?”

“I,” Nathalie hesitated, she _wanted_ to believe Gabriel wouldn’t fight Adrien, but she _knew_ that hoping that the revelation would make him give up was being naively optimistic, and Emilie was right it could go so wrong, and, “I don't know.”

“Exactly. Gabriel loves me, and he’d feel _so_ betrayed by Adrien having, even unwittingly, stopped him saving me. And if I thought Adrien would crumple immediately and give him the ring I might chance still it because I could put the two of them back together afterwards but unfortunately Adrien’s in love with that Ladybug. He’ll never fight _her_ , or want to disappoint her.”

“But, you’re his mother, and she’s just a teenage crush surely?”

That couldn’t be _equal._

“You’ve seen what Chat Noir does for Ladybug.”

“Oh god.” That had been _Adrien_ the whole time. She’d done all of that to _Adrien._ “Wait, how do _you_ know? I thought you couldn’t leave the house. “

“I watch the news when you have it on. And I _do_ hear the conversations the two of you have with each other, and that Adrien has with his Kwami. I can put things together.”

“Do you hate me for it? For what I’ve done to Adrien.”

“Hate you? I’d have to hate myself. Hate Gabriel. No. It’s unfortunate but it’s still fixable.”

“Is it?” It didn’t feel fixable to Nathalie.

“Yes. I considered if it was possible to pull Adrien out of Ladybug’s clutches, which I _do_ blame you a little bit for by the way.”

“For _that_? How?”

“School. I had it all so beautifully set up that Adrien would date Chloé and then you went and let him realise there were other options.”

“He didn’t meet _Ladybug_ at school though.”

“We don’t know that. He doesn’t know who she is.”

“He really doesn’t? I never knew if the heroes were telling the truth about that.”

“They are. Unfortunately. Adrien’s pining is just embarrassing. He gets that from Gabriel. I’d have wrapped the girl around my little finger months ago if I was in his position.” She sighed, “I’d have had Tomoe’s daughter over as well if I’d realised that was Adrien’s type. Now I’m stuck with him liking this Ladybug who I haven’t had the chance to vet at _all._ ”

“I’d approve of her.” Nathalie told her, “If we weren’t fighting her all the time. She’s clever, and infuriatingly determined, and I think she’d be good for Adrien.”

“That’s something I suppose.” Emilie said, “It doesn’t exactly help us though.”

“I could talk to Adrien,” Nathalie offered, “I could be calmer than Gabriel would be. You don’t have to die just to avoid upsetting him.”

Emilie’s eyes bored into Nathalie, and she shook her head, “A little ironic you telling me that isn’t it?”

“Emilie,”

“I think I’m dead,” Emilie’s voice wavered, “I think I’ve been dead a while. And I think I’m not supposed to be here, that what’s Gabriel’s doing is holding me back. Trying me to this earth instead of letting me go on to where I’m supposed to be. I don’t think it’s going to work even if you do get those Miraculous.”

“No,” Nathalie said, “No they can grant anything, the Grimoire said that.”

“Life and death. We’ve been playing with forces we don’t understand. I think we’re all endangering our souls. I’m losing myself. I want to leave while I’m still me.”

“But Gabriel,

“Will cope. He’s got you now.”

“What? No he hasn’t.”

“Hasn’t he? Aren’t you devoted to him?”

“Don’t make me say it. I’m just his assistant. It’s wrong. And he’s never going to feel the same.”

“Who hurt you? Why are you so convinced you’re unlovable?”

“I’m not answering that.” Between them she’d given so much of herself to the Agrestes. She wasn’t giving them every piece of her own history too.

“Gabriel cares about you. And he’s certainly attracted to you. And the two of you fit together quite comfortably. Better than he and I did in some ways even if I do worry that the two of you will just never leave the house if left to your own accord. He’s quite capable of feeling the same if the two of you just let me go.”

“I can’t just let you die for me. I’m not that selfish.”

“I am,” Emilie shook her blonde curls, “ _I_ want to pass on, and _I_ want my son and my husband to both be safe and happy, and _I_ want to be sure that my husband doesn’t fall for some trollop after my death.”

Nathalie was offended on Gabriel’s behalf, “He wouldn’t do that. Have you _seen_ what he’s doing for you?”

“You’re going to fail. And if somehow you two fail but get away with it and don’t go to prison, then unfortunately he’s perfectly capable of that. Gabriel will do what he’s convinced to do. He needs someone. He’s not good on his own and there are plenty of women who would take advantage of that.”

She wasn’t sure she agreed and, “Wouldn’t _I_ be taking advantage?”

“You actually care for him. And for Adrien. That makes all the difference in the world. I don’t mind manipulating him for his own good.”

That had become sadly apparent but, “Tell me the truth. Do you actually think that, or are you just desperate because I’m your only chance to control him from beyond the grave, because I’m the only one that can see you?”

“Both.” Emilie said blithely, “Oh don’t look so shocked. I’m _glad_ it’s you I can talk to because this would have been much harder with someone else, but it would have been you I pushed him towards regardless because you love him but you’ve never tried to take him. You’ve made mistakes in trying to save me but you’ve never deliberately tried to hinder his attempts. And you genuinely care for Adrien. You’re the only one he has my permission to marry.”

“ _Marry?”_ Nathalie almost shrieked.

“Don’t pretend you don’t want that. Come on, we can work at this together. I can help you like I’ve been helping you.”

“You’re right.” Nathalie said, “I want that. But none of this has been about what I want, and I can’t keep lying to him. I’m going to tell him about you. And I’m going to tell him that you want him to stop, but I can’t do what you’re asking of me.”

Emilie, Nathalie remembered, wasn’t used to being told no, and for once she was the one looking utterly lost, “You won’t tell him about Adrien will you?”

“No,” Nathalie agreed, “Not unless it’s the right thing to do in the moment.”

* * *

She considered how she was going to tell him.

Then she considered what will happen after and decided to go for a walk around the gardens for the last time instead.

It was quite likely he wouldn’t believe her. She knew that. Or that even if he did if she spluttered out all of it he’d never blame Emilie rather than her.

There was only one conclusion she could come to.

She scheduled a meeting between them last thing the next day. And then she started drafting her resignation letter.

* * *

“Nathalie, what’s this all about?”

She passed him the letter. “I think you should have this first.”

“I don’t understand.”

She hated seeing him looking lost like that, but it was the best thing she could do. “I want you to understand that I’m serious about this. That I’m not saying any of this for personal gain. That I’ll leave if you want.”

“Leave,” He opened the envelope, and cast his eyes over the letter, “This is a resignation letter.”

“Yes.”

“No.” He stood up, “You can’t do this with no explanation. Tell me what the problem is and I’ll fix it. If Hawkmoth is too much for you then you don’t have to be involved in that anymore.”

She takes a step away from him, “I’m doing you a favour. I don’t want us to have to work out the time it would take for you to fire me. “

He followed her, “Why would I be firing you?”

“Because of what I’m going to say.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I do.”

“No,” He reached out and put his hand on her hip stopping her from walking away, “You don’t have to. I know.”

Confusion buried her, “You know?”

“I do. And,” He reached up to cup her face with her other hand, “it’s not just you. And I wish the circumstances were different but,”

“Gabriel.” She interrupted, “I think we’re talking about different things.”

“What?”

“Emilie’s been haunting me.” She blurted out, forgetting all her careful plans.

He blinked and his hands fells away from her. “I think we have been yes. Nathalie.” He sighed, “What are you _talking_ about. Do you mean literally, or metaphorically or?”

“Literally. She appears to me when I’m sleeping here.”

“So you’ve been dreaming about her.”

“No, no I think it’s real.”

“Nathalie. Emilie’s not dead.”

“Yes I told her that too. She disagrees.”

“Nathalie. I’m sorry,” he said, “but what you’re saying is ridiculous. Can you hear yourself?”

There was an almighty creak, then Emilie’s portrait flew open to reveal the safe of its own accord.

“Was that?” he asked, staring at the safe. He reached up a hand towards then pulled it back.

“I think so.”

“It’s not more ridiculous than any of the rest of it I suppose,” He said but his uneasy tone belied the acceptance of his words, “I thought you say you only saw her when you were sleeping, but, she’s here all the time? She can move physical objects?”

She shook her head, “I keep telling her not to do that. Whenever she interacts with the physical world something seems to happen to her body.”

“All those malfunctions,” Gabriel said with a look of realisation, “I couldn’t work out _why_ they were happening.”

The safe look started to click.

“Emilie _stop this._ ” Nathalie said, “Stop trying to force things.”

“You means she’s,” he trailed off unable to say it.

Nathalie nodded, and didn’t even try to hide the fear on her face.

“You always were dramatic.” He said towards the empty air in front of the safe, “But stop scaring Nathalie. We’ll give you what you want. _I’ll_ give you whatever you want. You’ve always known that. Why didn’t you just come to me?”

The safe lock stopped moving.

“She couldn’t’.” Nathalie explained, “She wanted to she really did, but for some reason I was the only one who could see her, and only when I was sleeping.”

“You were the only one she could talk to?” The ghost of a smirk played over his lips, “I’m not sure which of you I feel more sorry for.”

There was a thump on the wall, and he turned back to look at it, “I love you but you can’t deny you like to talk.”

“She does. But. It’s _something_ having her attention. You can’t deny that.”

“No. No I can’t.”

“I wish I could have shared it with you before the other night.”

His eyes focused on her. “The other night?”

“It’s nothing.”

“That wasn’t a dream was it?” He looked back between the safe and her, “Then I wasn’t wrong earlier, but then Emilie approves? She wants this too?”

“I’m sorry.” She tried to explain, “I honestly thought that one _was_ a dream, I wouldn’t have responded like that if I’d realised that was actually _you,_ actually _her._ ”

“Wouldn’t you?” He said, and she didn’t stop him when he took a step closer and cradled her head with his hand, “Would you stop me if I kissed you now?”

She looked away, “No I wouldn’t, but you _shouldn’t._ We should talk about this.”

“Alright.” He said, “So have you been in a relationship with my wife all this time?”

That made her look up and meet his eyes, _“No._ Nothing like that happened until the other night. I promise. Emilie is hard to resist, you know that,”

“I do.”

“But nothing happened. I wouldn’t do that to you.”

Oddly he looked saddened at that, “So, what _is_ all of this then? You’re the one who’s been talking to my wife. What does she want?”

“She wants us to let her go.”

He glanced back at the safe as if Emilie could answer him. “I don’t understand.” 

“I don’t either. But apparently being in her situation has changed her perspective. She wants us to stop so she can move on to the next plane of existence whatever _that_ is, and to start being better parents to Adrien instead.”

“Parents?”

“I’m sorry. Emilie keeps saying the most ridiculous things. I think she’s trying to be nice but she’s got it in her head that I can be some sort of replacement for you and Adrien, and obviously that’s _ridiculous,_ I know I couldn’t fill that void in your lives and,”

“You have been.” He stopped her. “I don’t know what I-and Adrien would have done without you.”

Floundering and without any idea of how to respond to this open undisguised affection she said, “You’ve taking this very well.”

“I’m not sure _I’m_ not the one dreaming right now.” He said, “It all seems too good to be true. Emilie giving her blessing for me to stop on this futile exhausting quest. Telling me none of this is a betrayal. The only thing that makes me think it might be true is that if it was a dream then it’d be perfect and it can’t be when we don’t,”

“Have her?” Nathalie said sadly. “I know.”

“I don’t know what I did to deserve you.” He said. “She’d furious if I ignored what she wanted wouldn’t she?”

“Probably.”

“There’s no probably about it. You know Emilie in a temper.” He looked back at the safe again, “Is she still here do you think?”

“I can’t see her when I’m awake, but I’d think so.”

“I should be very cross at both of you know,” He said addressing both Nathalie and the air next to her as if assuming Emilie would be there. “I felt terrible after that dream for betraying you, and,” he focused on Nathalie, “for objectifying you, and it turns out you were both very willing participants.”

“I,”

He put a finger over her lips to silence her, “And _you_ telling me you were going to leave, when all of us want quite the opposite of that.”

“Do we?”

“I do,” he tilted his head down closer, “Emilie does apparently,” He took his finger away from her lips so his could hover millimetres from hers, “Are you going to say that you don’t?”

“I do.” She admitted and he closed the gap between them.

* * *

“Gabriel,” She realised in a panic and tried to push him away, “I’m supposed to be collecting Adrien from school and going to his fencing competition to watch.”

His grip on her waist tightened, “You don’t _have_ to.”

“I promised him.”

“Why didn’t you start this conversation earlier?”

“I didn’t want to be here after if it went badly. And I wanted a last moment with Adrien too.”

He pulled her tight and rested his head on hers instead of replying. “What if I came with you?”

“Really?” She smiled, “Adrien would love that. I’d love that.”

“Then it’s settled.” He said and finally let go of her.

She reached up to stop him before he could leave the Atelier, “You might want to put yourself back together a bit.”

He ran his hair over the mess she’d made of his hair and grimaced in realisation.

* * *

Having to leave things where they were is almost worth it for the brightness in Adrien’s eyes when he sees them both collecting him.

* * *

Later he clocked his father’s arm round her back when they were watching him, and at the smile he gave them she really didn’t regret it.

* * *

“He’s gone to bed,” She announced as she came in the door to the sitting room.

“Come here,” Gabriel said, from the armchair he was sat down in.

She walked over and hesitated in front of him before he took her hand and pulled her down onto his lap.

She settled herself and found her head fitted perfectly into the crook of his neck and they sat there a while.

At one point she shifted so she could pull her arm out from against his chest and coil it round the back of his shoulder and neck to work through the bristles at the back of his head instead.

She felt him relax further underneath her.

“What do we do now?” His voice rumbled underneath her. “ _How_ do we move forward now?”

“I don’t know.” She said, “But we’ve time to work things out. I suppose we start by just not sending out anymore akumas,” and Gabriel does not need to know how vital that part is yet, “and then we discover Emilie somehow and, we,” she swallowed down the lump in her throat.

“Give her the funeral she deserves.” Gabriel finished for her. “But you’re right. We have time. And we have each other.”

“We do,” She said and couldn’t stop the smile that crept over her face.

He took hold of the hand still resting on her lap, “We’re shredding that letter.”

“I don’t know.” She said lightly, “I think we might be needing it at some point in the future.”

“Needing it?”

She smiled and straightened up to kiss him.

“I see.” Gabriel said when they were done, “I suppose that _wouldn’t_ be very appropriate behaviour in the workplace would it?”

They fell back into silence. 

“Do you think,” He said, “Could I see her again? To say goodbye? I do trust you but,”

“We can try.” She said, “I’d like to say goodbye to her together anyway.”

She stood up, and couldn’t help but be amused at his crestfallen face. She missed the warmth a little too but, she held out her hand, “Come to bed Gabriel. Let’s go talk to Emilie.”


End file.
